Pastel Coloured Hair - Eek or chic?

This is a trend that has been growing for a while now but seems to be gathering momentum. Last week, models backstage at Givenchy were seen flaunting the trend...

Backstage at Givenchy A/W 2013 Paris Fashion Week Show

I think it's safe to say this is a trend that only blonde haired ladies can try out. This wouldn't show at all on brown hair.

Off the back of this growing trend, L'Oreal designed a range of pastel hair dyes - available in pink, lilac or peach, for those who want to give the trend a go themselves.

I've heard on the grapevine that brighter, 'rainbow' hair colours are going to be popping up this Summer. A trend for the brave!

Would you try any of these crazy colour trends? Have any of you tried them already? Do you love it or hate it?



Liz
xo

Kerastase Initialiste Review

I've been using Kerastase Initiailiste for nearly 1 month now so thought it was a good time to do my first proper review of the product.

If you don't know what Kerastase Initialiste is, it's a serum designed for your hair and scalp which claims to make your hair look and feel shinier, stronger, and more resistant to breakage. The product promises up to 93% less breakage in your hair and the formula is the first of its kind, using plant cells to 'rebuild' your hair structure and give you more resilient locks.

Overall, I have been impressed by this product. The claims made about the product, and the £40 price tag, gave me very high hopes. I wouldn't say that my hair has been totally transformed, but it has definitely improved my hair so far and I can feel a difference in  my hair if I forget to use it which I think is a good sign.

The serum itself is quite runny and watery. It comes with a dropper which I think is a really handy way of getting the product out of the bottle without using too much. I dispense 3-4 droppers into my hand then distribute it from the scalp to the ends, working it in as I go and massaging it in at the scalp. This product should be applied to thoroughly towel-dried hair for the best impact, but I have to admit that sometimes it has gone on to wetter hair, simply because I haven't had time to keep towel drying it! Kerastase have a video to show how you *should* apply it, if you have time to do it this way...

Once on the hair, you can't feel the product at all, it just sinks in and dries with your hair. This is a positive point because I don't like products which improve the condition of your hair but leave an oily or greasy residue - after all, what's the point if improving your hair means it has to look greasy on a daily basis...

On to the most important part of the review: what has it actually done to my hair?

Since using the serum, my hair has definitely started to feel stronger. I had a trim about 2 weeks into using this, so I can't say whether it improved my split ends or if they just improved because I cut them off! However, I would usually start to notice split ends around now and so far I've only spotted the odd one or two (I use heated tools every day so that's pretty good going!)

One really obvious benefit of the product is how shiny it makes my hair. After I've applied the serum, my hair looks really shiny and 'swishy' without feeling too fly-away or fluffy. It just looks a lot healthier and better kept.

My hair feels softer than it did 4 weeks ago, and is easier to style because of this. I find because the condition of my hair is better, my styles hold for longer. I don't know if my hair has actually got thicker (it was quite thick already!) but it looks like it has got slightly thicker and because the condition has improved, the overall appearance of my hair is better.

 Pros:
- Hair feels softer
- Hair look shinier
- Less split ends
- Hair is easier to style
- Hair feels ( a little) thicker
- Easy to dispense the product with the dropper

Cons:
- Takes a while to thoroughly towel-dry hair so overall styling time is longer
- Expensive
- If you have long hair, you use a fair bit of product each time
- Thickness has only improved marginally

I hope my review is helpful to anyone looking to purchase this product. If you have any questions about the serum you want answered, leave me a comment and I will try my best to answer!

If any of you have used this serum, I would love to know your thoughts too.

Liz
xo

Tresemme Platinum Strength Monodose

I've been trying a couple of other products from this range by tresemme in the hope that, as well as using Kerastase Initialiste, I can expect a big improvement in the quality and texture of my hair.

This is the 'Monodose' from the range, which contains 15ml of intensive conditioner in a cute little squeezy tube with a twist off cap.

Tresemme Platinum Strength Monodose

The idea behind this product is that you put it on the mid-length to ends of your hair for just 60 seconds at the end of your shower/bath and it delivers a concentrated dose of healing and beautifying ingredients so that when you wash it off, your hair is as good as new.

I've used this twice and have to admit that I have noticed a difference in my hair after using it. It has felt shinier, softer and almost thicker, without being fly-away or static which many intense conditioners can cause your hair to do.

After using this, my hair felt really silky and as if I had just had a salon treatment applied to it - which is really good for just £1.49 a go.

I think the ideas is to use this once or twice a week so it's a great pick-me-up for damaged hair that needs a treat at the weekend. I've been using this alongside the 'Stay soft' leave in conditioner from the same range, as well as Kerastase Initialiste - both of which I would also recommend.

Has anyone else been trying the products from this range? What were your thoughts?


Liz

xo

Tresemme Platinum Strength Stay Soft Leave In

I've been using this product for a couple of weeks now so thought I'd post a review. I use heat appliances on my hair every day and my ends tend to get a bit frazzled if I don't get it cut regularly so a  range of products that claims to visibly repair up to 2 years of damage sounded like a dream come true.

Here's the product in it's bottle...

Tresemme Platinum Strength Stay Soft Leave in

This product is designed to be like a leave-in conditioner and it definitely has the texture and smell of a conditioner when you put it on, which is a nice feature. I apply it to damp hair before drying and sometimes smooth a little extra on the ends once it’s dry – but be careful because it can feel a little greasy if you apply too much.

This product definitely makes my hair softer and shinier. It doesn’t make it so soft that it’s impossible to style either, which is something I dislike in a lot of conditioning products.

I can’t say it’s made a huge difference to the quality of my hair (in particular the ends which are still a bit dry and frazzled) so I’m not sure how good it is at actually repairing the hair.

In general I think Tresemme products are pretty good and really reasonable in price. This item comes from the ‘Platinum Strength’ range which also features a shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioning treatment and an ‘Instant Rescue Shot’ – all for under £6 each which I think is a real bargain. You can only buy them at Superdrug at the moment as far as I’m aware, but I’m sure they will be widely available in future.

Apparently these products work better if you use two or more together so I am tempted to purchase some of the others in the range and see if that boosts the repairing properties.

Has anyone else used any items from the ‘Platinum Strength’ range? I’d love to know your thoughts on which one I should try next.

Liz 

xo